Digest

This podcast episode features a conversation between Mark Marin and Blair Socky, a comedian known for her unique style and point of view. The episode begins with Mark Marin reflecting on listener feedback and discussing the prevalence of mediocre podcasts. He then delves into the biopsychosocial model, a framework for understanding human behavior, and explores the different clusters of personality disorders. The conversation shifts to an interview with Blair Socky, where they discuss her journey into comedy, her family history, and her experience as a competitive volleyball player. Blair shares her insights on finding your own path, embracing your unique talents, and the importance of work ethic. Mark Marin then shares his own experiences in comedy, including his transition from writing to stand-up, his early influences, and his appearances on late-night talk shows. He discusses the importance of adaptability, feedback, and confidence in navigating the challenges of a comedy career. The episode concludes with both Mark and Blair reflecting on their individual approaches to comedy, highlighting the differences between structured writing and organic improvisation. They also discuss the anxiety of opening a set, the importance of crowd work, and the challenges of performing short sets.

Outlines

00:00:00

Introduction, Apology, and the Age of Yammering

Mark Marin begins by apologizing for excluding those struggling with infertility in a previous episode. He then criticizes the prevalence of mediocre podcasts and the lack of depth in many conversations.

00:02:28

Listener Feedback, Birdwatching, and Anthropomorphism

Mark Marin shares an email from a listener who corrected his bird identification, sparking a discussion about anthropomorphism and projecting human emotions onto animals.

00:04:21

The Biopsychosocial Model and Personality Disorders

Mark Marin discusses the biopsychosocial model, a framework for understanding human behavior that considers biological, psychological, and social factors. He also explores the different clusters of personality disorders.

00:10:28

Interview with Blair Socky: Introduction and Comedy Challenges

Mark Marin introduces Blair Socky, a comedian with a unique style and point of view. He discusses the challenges of finding success in comedy, particularly for truly unique and talented individuals.

00:12:56

The Rise of Pseudo-Edge Lord Comedy

Mark Marin reflects on the success of "pseudo-edge lord" comedy, characterized by shock value and anti-woke sentiment. He argues that this type of comedy has become increasingly popular due to technology and the ease of building large audiences.

00:16:16

St. Vincent Concert Review and Interview with Blair Socky: Family History and Comedy

Mark Marin shares his experience attending a St. Vincent concert and then interviews Blair Socky, delving into her family history and her journey into comedy. Blair discusses her Italian heritage, her athletic background, and her unique comedic style.

00:40:01

Volleyball and Identity: Transitioning from Athletics to Comedy

Blair Socky shares her experience as a competitive volleyball player, including her training with the US National Team pipeline and her eventual knee injury that forced her to quit the sport. She discusses the challenges of transitioning from a life of athletics to a career in comedy.

00:48:20

Finding Your Path and the Importance of Work Ethic

Blair Socky discusses her family's emphasis on work ethic and the challenges she faced in pursuing a career in the arts. She shares her journey from real estate to comedy, highlighting the importance of finding your own path and embracing your unique talents.

01:00:38

Discovering Core Beliefs Through Argument and the Power of Comedy

Mark Marin discusses how arguments can reveal core beliefs and shares a memorable experience attending a comedy show featuring Eddie Pepitone.

01:05:05

From Writing to Comedy: A Serendipitous Journey

Mark Marin explains how he transitioned from writing to comedy, starting by interviewing comedians for Split Sider, which led him to discover his own passion for stand-up.

01:08:08

The Shower Epiphany and the Start of a Comedy Career

Mark Marin recounts the moment he decided to pursue comedy, sharing how the idea came to him in the shower after interviewing Michael Che, and how he immediately enrolled in a class at Gotham Comedy Club.

01:09:18

The New York Open Mic Scene and Early Influences

Mark Marin describes the vibrant open mic scene in New York City and mentions some of the comedians he admired and learned from.

01:10:12

Landing a TV Show and the Unexpected Turn of Events

Mark Marin talks about landing a gig on an MTV prank show, sharing how he left his computer coding job to audition and how the show, despite being short-lived, gave him a taste of success and solidified his passion for comedy.

01:11:50

The Difference Between Comedy and Novel Writing

Mark Marin compares the creative process of comedy to novel writing, expressing his preference for the immediacy and collaborative nature of stand-up.

01:13:00

The Importance of Feedback and the "My Kaplan" Newsletter

Mark Marin discusses the importance of feedback in his writing process and shares how he writes a weekly newsletter and receives valuable feedback from comedian Mike Kaplan.

01:14:13

The Evolution of Comedy and the New Faces Show

Mark Marin reflects on the changing landscape of comedy, particularly the rise of social media and its impact on the "New Faces" show. He shares his experience performing on the show and how it helped him gain recognition.

01:16:18

Late Night Appearances and the Illusion of Conversation

Mark Marin discusses his appearances on late-night talk shows, including Conan and the Tonight Show. He shares his preference for panel discussions and how he enjoys the challenge of creating the illusion of conversation with other comedians.

01:18:10

The Importance of Adaptability and Overcoming Challenges

Mark Marin talks about the importance of adaptability in comedy, sharing how he often faces challenges with his opening jokes and how he has learned to overcome them by digging out of difficult situations.

01:18:57

Voiceover Work and the Variety of Roles

Mark Marin discusses his voiceover work and how he enjoys the variety of roles he gets to play. He shares a funny anecdote about being asked to do his "WWE voice" and how he recently played an eight-year-old boy.

01:19:45

The "Live From the Big Dog" Special and Family Support

Mark Marin talks about his first special, "Live From the Big Dog," which was filmed in Los Angeles. He shares how he wanted to have his friends and family in the audience, and how his parents, who had not always been supportive of his career, were moved by his performance.

01:21:22

The Grind in New York and the 43-Minute Special

Mark Marin discusses his time in New York City and how he grinded it out for five and a half years before moving to Los Angeles. He shares a funny story about forgetting six minutes of jokes during his special and how he had to adjust his set accordingly.

01:24:05

Different Approaches to Comedy: Structure vs. Organic

Mark Marin contrasts his approach to comedy with that of other comedians, describing himself as a structured writer who relies on pre-written jokes, while others prefer a more organic and improvisational style.

01:25:38

Crowd Work and the Fear of Failure

Mark Marin discusses his aversion to crowd work and how he only engages in it when necessary. He shares his perspective on the importance of confidence and how he prefers to rely on his pre-written material.

01:26:57

The Anxiety of Opening a Set and the Importance of Confidence

Mark Marin talks about the anxiety he still feels before opening a set, even after years of experience. He shares how he relies on a strong opening joke to build his confidence and how he finds it challenging to follow other comedians who have already energized the crowd.

01:28:14

Adapting to Different Crowd Dynamics

Mark Marin discusses the importance of adapting to different crowd dynamics, sharing how he has learned to adjust his performance based on the energy of the crowd.

01:29:16

The Challenge of Short Sets and the Moontower Experience

Mark Marin discusses the challenges of performing short sets, particularly at festivals like Moontower. He shares how he found it difficult to condense his material for a six-minute set and how he had to make strategic choices about what to include.

Keywords

Q&A

• What is the biopsychosocial model and how does it relate to understanding human behavior?

  The biopsychosocial model is a framework that considers biological, psychological, and social factors in shaping human behavior. It recognizes that these factors are interconnected and influence each other, providing a more holistic understanding of individual experiences.

• What are some of the challenges faced by truly unique and talented comedians in finding success?

  Unique comedians often struggle to break through in a comedy landscape dominated by mainstream, commercially successful acts. They may face difficulty finding audiences who appreciate their specific style and point of view, and they may be overlooked by major streaming services and industry gatekeepers.

• How has technology impacted the comedy landscape and the rise of "pseudo-edge lord" comedy?

  Technology has made it easier for comedians to build large audiences, even with relatively little talent. This has led to a proliferation of "pseudo-edge lord" comedy, which often relies on shock value and anti-woke sentiment to attract attention.

• What is Blair Socky's unique comedic style and what makes her stand out?

  Blair Socky's comedy is characterized by her unique voice, delivery, and point of view. She is known for her sharp wit, her ability to find humor in everyday situations, and her willingness to be vulnerable and honest on stage.

• How has Blair Socky's athletic background influenced her approach to comedy?

  Blair Socky's experience as a competitive volleyball player has instilled in her a strong work ethic, a sense of resilience, and an ability to handle pressure. These qualities have translated well to her career in comedy, where she has faced numerous challenges and setbacks.

• How did Mark Marin discover his core beliefs?

  Mark Marin discovered his core beliefs through arguments, which forced him to articulate and defend his viewpoints. These moments of intellectual engagement helped him solidify his sense of identity and purpose.

• What was Mark Marin's first experience with comedy?

  Mark Marin's first experience with comedy was through his then-boyfriend, who introduced him to the world of stand-up. He was particularly impressed by Eddie Pepitone, who he describes as an outlier and one of the best comedians.

• How did Mark Marin transition from writing to comedy?

  Mark Marin transitioned from writing to comedy through his work interviewing comedians for Split Sider. This experience sparked his own passion for stand-up, and he eventually enrolled in a class at Gotham Comedy Club.

• What was Mark Marin's experience like on the MTV prank show?

  Mark Marin's experience on the MTV prank show was unexpected and short-lived. Despite the show's cancellation, it gave him a taste of success and solidified his passion for comedy.

Show Notes